Bengaluru: Actor and social activist Chetan Ahimsa has apologised for his social media post regarding the memorial of late actor Dr Rajkumar.

A group led by Sa Ra Govindu staged a protest outside Chetan Ahimsa’s residence. During the protest, Govindu expressed anger and questioned Chetan’s authority to speak about a personality like Dr Rajkumar, asking what he knew about the late actor’s stature.

As Govindu criticised him, Chetan responded, requesting that he not be addressed in a disrespectful manner. This further angered members of pro-Kannada organisations present at the spot.

Police were also present during the protest. Considering the seriousness of the situation, Chetan later issued an apology. He said that if his post had hurt anyone’s sentiments, he was sorry, and clarified that it was not his intention to offend anyone. He also stated that he is a fan of Dr Rajkumar.

What Chetan said in his post

On Friday (April 24), Chetan wrote on social media that while Dr Rajkumar is respected as a great artist, it is necessary to question whether allocating 2.5 acres of land in central Bengaluru in 2006 for an actor’s memorial complex was a wise decision. He stated that land is a key issue in 21st century India and should be distributed by the government keeping future needs and public use in mind, rather than for opportunistic electoral gains.